With a sigh, she adds,nearly 29!
She also pointed out that one season ofSex Educationrepresents one school term in the shows universe.
So the fourth term beginning later this year represents nearly four years of actual work.
Aimee Lou Wood at the 2022 BIFA Awards in LondonLia Toby/Getty Images
Each season, Wood explains, takes seven months.
She has the physicality of a dancer, and moves like one.
Were seated in a cafe she has chosen in Bermondsey, on the south side of the Thames.
Aimee Lou Wood and Bill Nighy SPC/Number 9 Film/Film4
Its early in the morning and Deadline is in need of an illicit biscuit and a cup of tea.
We both tuck into truly illicit apricot croissants that have been baked on the premises.
Theres nothing smutty about their relationship.
You somehow know its not kind of dark between them, says Wood.
Wood is utterly radiant in the role, showcasing her dramatic and comic skills.
Stevenson had the idea of asking students at RADA to play handmaidens.
Wood was one of them.
It led to years of friendship and mentorship from Williams, and indeed they found themselves working together onLiving.
One day, she says, shed love to return to the stage.
For now, though, shes filmingSex Educationuntil next month.
A fifth season wont be decided until later in the year.
Meantime, Woods is living forLiving.
AIMEE LOU WOOD:Well thats what Oliver [Hermanus] says.
Like Oliver always says, Margaret is life inLiving.
Shes the character of life.
So its like, no pressure.
And the reason why she is is quite simple.
Its just that she notices things.
She just notices things and she delights in them.
And she soaks in.
Shes not on autopilot.
Shes actually genuinely there.
Shes in the present.
And thats what it is.
And hes, to him thats like, what the hell?
Whereas as she says, Im just an ordinary person, she really does see herself as that.
And shes just someone whos able to be very present.
And I think that that is really inspiring though.
And when you do meet people like that, youre like, wow.
Strange thing, watching movies, isnt it?
And it wasnt until the second time that they went, they realized this is such a big scene.
WOOD:I think especially one thats quite… becauseLivingis quite a small story.
You kind of do just want to focus on one character per time that you watch it.
You know what I mean?
Like, because its so concentrated and there are real layers.
WOOD:Thats really nice of you.
I am quite a perfectionist.
I definitely have a lot of post match analysis.
When I go home after a day of filming, Im like, do this.
But while Im doing it, [the filming] I dont really have that stuff.
Its the aftermath that I need to work on letting it go.
Especially with filming, because you are not gonna see that thing for months.
And you dont know what takes are gonna be chosen.
You know how some directors, its a strange thing they dont like actors.
Theyre like, they kind of see actors as obstacles, whereas Oliver, he loves actors.
And he wants to know our ideas and he wants to collaborate with us.
Rather than actually having stakes in it.
I think Oliver wanted us all to feel like it was everyones movie.
Every member of the crew, every member of the cast, its your movie.
Its not his movie, its everyones.
DEADLINE:Got it.
WOOD:You know what, I had it when I actually first read the script.
I opened it up and I thought: prepare yourself because I know its gonna be emotional.
I just read hisKlara in the Sun.
And hes just the greatest writer and hes the greatest person.
His kindness just comes through in his work because hes so kind.
Him and his wife Lorna theyre just, oh my God.
I went, I know who she is.
I know who she is.
Shes someone who notices things so much that him wearing a new hat is like, what?
Oh, you have a new hat?
And I just went, thats who Margaret is.
And like Mr. Williams says sometimes, I dont think your attitude was maybe appropriate, or whatever.
Shes, from the start, shes just a little bit cheeky.
Shes a little bit, yeah, shes mischievous.
Thats the word…in a good way.
WOOD:That hat line just really did that for me.
I just thought that that was such a lovely detail.
And his writing is so economic, you just know who she is from the smallest thing.
And you somehow know its not kind of dark.
But I love that bit when she says, you know, youre becoming infatuated.
And hes like, Maybe I am in a way.
But not in that way… Its so sweet.
And Bill [Nighy] just, oh my God, those scenes.
It was really heartbreaking.I had a headache because I was crying so much.
DEADLINE:Hes a great actor.
Its a great performance, isnt it?
But what I loved about Bill is that he had a very empathetic read on it.
And although its not healthy, there was something admirable about that stoicism.
He said, I recognize that kind of person… that generation.
WOOD:Its amazing.
I love all that.
The perspective is so much wider.
And its like, wow.
Thats who they are.
No one can teach them anything.
And actually the key to life is just staying curious, isnt it?
And keep on living and learning and everyone you meet can teach you something.
Its so about not being on autopilot.
Or was I in my head or on my phone?
Or like was I actually like present?
Was I actually in the day.
She doesnt pick up her phone.
I think it is so relevant for today.
Shes way more concerned with her experience of life than how shes being perceived by others.
And I find that really sad.
She wants to be in a life that she enjoys.
Thats her main thing.
She wants to live a life that she, she feels good about.
And I really found that inspiring.
I was like, yes, make the choices that are right for you.
DEADLINE:Yeah, choose life.
WOOD:Choose life, not what it feels like.
Appearances dont really matter to Margaret.
DEADLINE:You were saying earlier that you like old people.
Were you raised by grandparents or something… ?
WOOD:Well, I was very close to my moms parents, very close.
And I lived with my nana and granddad and mom for a year.
Like Ive always just loved being with my nana and granddad.
Like theyre just the best .And my granddad was such a storyteller as well.
Looked like Father Christmas, told all these great stories.
DEADLINE:You are the eldest of four children…?
WOOD:Which people sometimes go like, I always think you give youngest vibes.
But Im very much the eldest child.
DEADLINE:Were you a bossy big sister?
I think it probably does come from being really close to my grandparents.
My nana is the funniest.
Shes in her eighties, but honestly everyone thinks shes sixty.
Shes so youthful and shes very active, but that happened when my granddad died, you know.
She became very sociable because its like she had a choice.
Its very like Mr. Williams.
Or it could be a new kind of beginning.
And I think that happens a lot.
And its very resonant.
This film will resonate a lot with people who have made that choice.
Theyve been at that crossroads where theyve gone, this is the end.
Or it doesnt have to be the end.
DEADLINE:Youre best known forSex Educationon Netflix.
Youre working on your fourth season now, is that right ?
WOOD:Fourth, and theres supposed to be a fifth.
DEADLINE:So how old were you when you started doing that?
WOOD:I was 24 when I started doing it, and Im 28 now.
DEADLINE:And how old is Aimee Gibbs inSex Education?
WOOD:Shes 17 [laughs]!
DEADLINE:And what are your views on this?
WOOD:Its really hard playing someone whos frozen in time.
Genuinely, its really hard.
You like go from 31 to 32 and youre kind of still the same person.
You dont have any of that in your twenties.
DEADLINE:Was it your first television role?
WOOD:It was my first TV role.
And its been the most amazing.
Thats weird, Asa [Butterfield] just went past on the bus.
A picture of him just went past.
DEADLINE:Oh, thats so funny just as were talking about the show that youre both in.
WOOD:Weird, yeah.
And its been the best and Ive made the best friends.
And now its fine.
Im playing somebody whos 10 years younger than me, more than.
And I still adore her.
I have been through so, so many changes.
And shes still in the same point.
But every seasons supposed to be a term of school.
So weve only had three terms.
This will be the fourth term.
DEADLINE:So in the world of the show, its not even a year,is it?
So, and its been four years.
DEADLINE:I dont think I know people who had that much fun going on at school.
But its almost like a utopia.
And its a utopia because everyone talks because therapy is at the center of it, right?
The whole concept is built around therapy.
So its basically a world in which everyone talks about their problems.
Freely, openly, and constantly.
So it isnt almost utopia because we dont do that.
Its not what we experience.
So, you know, people dont have those kinds of conversations constantly.
DEADLINE:And can I just ask whether or not over time you have resented all of that revealing?
WOOD:All that stuff was, especially in season one, it was so vital to Aimees story.
And it wasnt gratuitous.
I think if it was not connected to the story and it wasnt needed then why do it?
Now, I always have the confidence to be like, this is unnecessary.
This actually doesnt need to be in here.
Im like, is this telling a story?
Do you think, oh God, I wanna do that?
I cant do that?
WOOD:All of those.
Oh God, I have to try now.
[Aimee tries her apricot croissant].
Yeah, thats good.
Illicit Biscuit does sound like an indie band.
Welcome to the stage, Illicit Biscuit!
DEADLINE:Cool name for a band.
WOOD:[laughs].
Yeah, its good because I think everyone ends up relating to different people.
So like, Phoebe Waller-Bridge came in.
She was very honest about the fact that it wasnt really for her drama school.
Like, she was kind of like in movement classes lying on the floor being made to do.
And she would be laughing and thinking it was all a bit silly.
Youre gonna take bits that are useful.
But you kind of feel like everything should be the key in, the key into the secret.
And of course its different for everyone.
It all makes sense.
WOOD:It was quite intimidating.
I remember my first day I actually cried.
Because I was so overwhelmed.
And Ian [director Ian Rickson] had a chat with me.
But it was walking in and it was just, yeah, I felt very overwhelmed.
After about three days I realized that everyone was just the greatest.
And everyone was nervous.
He wasnt thinking about, lets have a look at Aimee and see where shes doing wrong.
Do you know what I mean?
And we just had all of our lunches together.
Shes very kind of otherworldly.
We would have lunches together and our chats were just so good.
And she called me every night in my dressing room.
She would call me on my phone just before my scene.
She would call me and say, How do you think its gonna go?
I think its gonna be great.
I think the doctor loves you back.
WOOD:Oh God, we really do.
Were all like, what was that?
What was that bit?
Well, Ive just finished Alan Rickmans diaries [Madly,Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries].
They are just so funny.
I love the way he talks about his friends.
Cause he obviously loves them fiercely, but hes so honest about them.
